The daughter of Chitrasena and Vaijra Sri Lanka’s most revered dance couple, Upeka Chitrasena has fanned the flames of dance to keep the tradition alive
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs: Luxshmanan Nadaraja
The very first time I set eyes on Upeka she was leaping across the stage of the Sadler’s Wells theatre in Clerkenwell, London in 1995. I remember it was a hauntingly cold night but seeing Upeka bound across the stage with the agility of a graceful young gazelle to the sound of the rhythmic drumbeats banished the coldness and infused in me warmth and pride to see how the predominantly white audience were watching this spectacle unfold with their mouths agape. I am quite sure they had never seen anything like this….ever.
Known as Sri Lanka’s fiery danseuse, Upeka was born into a family that lived and breathed dance. Her parents were the legendary duo Chitrasena and Vajira, revered and held responsible for creating a new culture and appreciation of traditional dance during colonial and post colonial eras.
Born in 1951, it can be argued that even in her mother’s womb Upeka would have felt the vibes of dance and rhythm.
Upeka had always known she wanted to be a dancer. Having grown up surrounded by dance and drums, a great part of her childhood was spent watching and listening to her parents immersed in dance be it teaching, creating and rehearsing.
Watching them, she realised what was required to be a professional dancer and there was never any confusion that dance was where her future career path lay.
